Council of Labor Affairs held “Union Unity and Operation Forum” in Taipei on May 26, 2009. All together 111 participants from national federations, provincial federations, industry labor unions, county/city confederations and Council of Labor Affairs were present to examine the development and operation of Singapore’s NTUC and its subsidiaries and to learn a lesson how to strengthen the unity of unions in Taiwan.

Encouraging sharing and dialogues among local unions; organizing forums to expand international visions

This forum originated because in mid February Pan Shi-Wei, Council of Labor Affairs deputy minister, led a delegation that included Hsieh Chuang-Chi, secretary general of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions, and Ma Chao, deputy secretary general of the Chinese Federation of Labor Unions, to Singapore to visit ITUC-AP, NTUC and its subsidiary Fair Price, CPFB and vocation and skill training centers. Seeing the many things it learned from this journey, Council of Labor Affairs felt the need to share the lessons with local unions, enhance its dialogue relationship with union members and continue the self-examination stirred by the visit. Consequently it organized the forum to share on the operational experiences of Singapore’s unions and to help local unions broaden their international horizons. Experiences learned from the sharing can serve as reference to help Taiwan enhance the solidarity among unions and formulate labor policies and systems.

Sharing on features of Singapore’s unions, the forum was highly acclaimed.

For this forum, chairman Han Shi-Hsien was asked to speak on the purposes and features of Singapore’s union organizations, and secretary general Hsieh Chuang-Chi was invited to share his observation and perspective of social dialogue and union movement. The forum became extension to the joint international journey and demonstration of Council of Labor Affairs’ down-to-earth approaches, displaying its determination to encourage social dialogue.